"Donal" wrote in message
...

"Shen44" wrote in message
...

One of the tests involves sitting at the chart table, with the ports
blacked
out, and predicting your position to within a few metres.

In other words, you have to sail (and navigate) the boat "blind".


Interesting, what if any inputs do you get?


Not much. ... The slapping of the waves on the hull??


And the eTrex in his pocket.

"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
The "chartwork" portion of the USCG test is actually rather demanding.
Its not
so hard for those of us that learned to navigate the "old way," but a lot
of
newcomers have trouble with running fixes, etc. I know several people
that
passed the other portions but failed chartwork.

While its true that the Yachtmaster test has a real live "hands on"
component
that is lacking in the USCG test, it is possible to get the highest level
with
only 2 months experience. The "Coastal Skipper" only requires a few
weeks.

The "2 months" version is a recent course, that IMHO violates the spirit of
the Yachtmaster certificate.

AFAIK, only one school offers such a short course. It is used by people who
want to work at sea.

Most recreational sailors would have 5-10 years experience before doing the
practical test.
I've only done the shorebased element.



Happy Christmas

Donal
--

So what are the requirements? Whenever I search I find sites the talk about 15
days or 50 days (for the offshore) experience. Only the highest level requires
a long (600 miles) offshore passage. Whenever I look at them it seems I would
have been qualified after a year of ocean sailing (on top of 15 years of dinghy
experience!)

On the other hand, it took almost 10 years of cruising in my own boat to
accumulate enough sea-time for even the 6-pack. And one could do 5
trans-Atlantics and not come close to the required service for even the
"Near-Coastal" ticket.

There is, of course, a major loophole in the US system. If you own your own
boat, you can "self-certify" the time. It only has to be plausible enough the
convince the CG officer. Its easy to see that a number of 3 hour trips could
turn into full days, and somehow 51% of the time spent is 10 mile offshore. But
I can't believe that anyone would seriously abuse the system.

-jeff

"Donal" wrote in message
...

"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
The "chartwork" portion of the USCG test is actually rather demanding.
Its not
so hard for those of us that learned to navigate the "old way," but a lot
of
newcomers have trouble with running fixes, etc. I know several people
that
passed the other portions but failed chartwork.

While its true that the Yachtmaster test has a real live "hands on"
component
that is lacking in the USCG test, it is possible to get the highest level
with
only 2 months experience. The "Coastal Skipper" only requires a few
weeks.

The "2 months" version is a recent course, that IMHO violates the spirit of
the Yachtmaster certificate.

AFAIK, only one school offers such a short course. It is used by people who
want to work at sea.

Most recreational sailors would have 5-10 years experience before doing the
practical test.
I've only done the shorebased element.



Happy Christmas

Donal
--

"Donal" wrote in message ...
"Joe" wrote in message
om...
"JN" wrote in message
. ..
Now you're qualified to take me for an evening sail next summer when I
spend
my annual week in the Keys and serve me a glass of wine when I demand
it,
serve me a snack when I want it, and in general put up with all my
garbage
because I won't give a tip if you don't ?????

Huh, cappy wappy? Is that what your paper gives you permission to do?


Thats the OZ yachtmaster ticket you must be talking about. I hear the
only pratical test a "yachtmaster" has to take, is how quick he can
get his knee pads on and off. Here in the USA licences are for working
mariners.

Joe, it appears that you know as much about the Yachtmaster qualification as
you do about international affairs.

One of the tests involves sitting at the chart table, with the ports blacked
out, and predicting your position to within a few metres.

Big deal Donal. I use to run the Schaffer, Shane, Mississippi and the
Holma navigation canal and the houston ship channel at 25 knots and
the fog was so thick you could not see 2 foot. You could paint the
wheel house windows black and I could tell you ever dock we passed and
every stream that lead into the river and tell you every were every
shallow spot was.



In other words, you have to sail (and navigate) the boat "blind".

Yea did it all the time carrying 100 passengers and half a million
dollars of tools, everyday. This time of year is the worst on the
Mississippi delta. But like I said Ive ran south and SW pass of the
mississippi in fog so thick you could cut it with a knife. Had to-the
helicopter could not fly. And I wasent farting around at 4 knots, we
usually ran at 25-30 knots.


Do you have to do this for the USCG ticket?

Plotting is a major part of the test

But whats important is we had to do it everyday for real, and you
better be able to tune in a radar to pick up logs, perows, and plywood
hunk of **** boats unless you want some insane coonass to put a few 30
30 shells thru your wheelhouse.



Regards


Donal
--

Back at you

Joe
Crewboat Texas Willie

(Shen44) wrote in message ...
Yeah they buy up aluminum surplus oilfield bay boats put rails on them
and wala. They still work the rigs. Plus alot of 6 pack type boats
that troll the gulf for big game.

Joe

6-pac and 25 ton, as we know are two different things, most of what you are
describing, seem to fall under the 6-pac, or are you saying people, people hire
the 25 ton license holders to run boats which only need a 6-pac? As otn said, a
25 ton boat is fairly small.

Shen


Thats what I said. Some small boat carry 15 passengers(a 6 pac will
not cover it). And like I say most old converted oilfield boat that
carried crew to the drilling rigs in the bays along the Texas coast.


Joe

"JN" wrote in message .. .
Never been to the Florida Keys, have you? Imagine this, a tropical paradise
in which everyone wants to live, but there are very few jobs. What to do?
They either sell t-shirts, wait tables, or take tourists out to the reef.
There are soooooo many people trying to make a living on the water down
there the captains will wipe your hiney-hole for you if you ask them.

No never have been to Key West.

But I do know how to deal with people that act like snobbish assholes.

Joe
MSV RedCloud

(Shen44) wrote in message ...

One of the tests involves sitting at the chart table, with the ports blacked
out, and predicting your position to within a few metres.

In other words, you have to sail (and navigate) the boat "blind".


Interesting, what if any inputs do you get?

Shen


My guess is radar or gps. If you do not get any inputs you are truly blind.
Anyone who cant run a channel with a chart & a gps or radar should not be on a boat.

Joe

Not really an asshole. Neal gave me the works a couple times, once shortly
after I went to the trouble to dig up some decent prices for Coronado's just
to give him support for the beating he was receiving from Bobsprit. You
just stepped into the middle of a little retaliation.

"JN" wrote in message . ..
Not really an asshole. Neal gave me the works a couple times, once shortly
after I went to the trouble to dig up some decent prices for Coronado's just
to give him support for the beating he was receiving from Bobsprit. You
just stepped into the middle of a little retaliation.


Retaliation? Retaliation?? RETALIATION???

So, that's what you call it? Bwahahahahahahhahahah!
Thanks for pointing it out because I wouldn't have
noticed it otherwise.

S.Simon

"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
So what are the requirements? Whenever I search I find sites the talk
about 15
days or 50 days (for the offshore) experience. Only the highest level
requires
a long (600 miles) offshore passage. Whenever I look at them it seems I
would
have been qualified after a year of ocean sailing (on top of 15 years of
dinghy
experience!)

On the other hand, it took almost 10 years of cruising in my own boat to
accumulate enough sea-time for even the 6-pack. And one could do 5
trans-Atlantics and not come close to the required service for even the
"Near-Coastal" ticket.

There is, of course, a major loophole in the US system. If you own your
own
boat, you can "self-certify" the time. It only has to be plausible enough
the
convince the CG officer. Its easy to see that a number of 3 hour trips
could
turn into full days, and somehow 51% of the time spent is 10 mile
offshore. But
I can't believe that anyone would seriously abuse the system.


It's easy enough to tell if someone is experienced by simply watching them
board a boat.

The Yachtmaster exam requires 2000 sea miles(or should that be hours?).
Frankly, I think that the average examiner will assess your experience by
watching you as you board, and walk around the boat.


I'm just about ready to take the practical test. If I decide to do the
test, then I will need to do a three day course to brush up on various
aspects.


Regards


Donal
--